TIMBER WORKERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 May 1943, Page 2

TIMBER WORKERS

[to the editor.] Sir, —I would be pleased if you would let me have a little space to thank “Mill Hand” for bringing to light the subject of the holidays entitled to the timber workers. I don’t want to start the Returned Soldiers’ Association going crook as regards any quarrels we may be having over Anzac Day. I fully agree that Ai.’zac Day should be treated as a day of remembrance, but as Anzac Day was counted as one of the paid holidays in the timber workers’ award it should be paid, whether it falls on u Sunday or any other day. The timber workers have been trying to get paid holidays for years, and when they did get paid holidays granted they never expected a loophole to come to light in their award where they would be done out of any day that may fall on a Sunday. The time has come when we workers will have to wake up and attend our general meetings and see that we get a fair, deal. We pay our union fees, sq expect to get a decent award. The work of the timber worker is strenuous and bushmen and tramworkers have long distances to travel in all weathers. The timber workers’ wages are the lowest of any workers’ award, and they justly earn thefr paid holidays. Mr Robertson takes into account the rise in prices for the owners of ropes and saws, but does not mention the rise in prices of the workers’ clothes and boots, which are well over double the price. Wc are supposed to have been granted the 10 per cent, for the rise in prices, so I am not going into that part, but ths main point I am after is a fair deal in our award for our paid holidays which we justly earn. —Yours, etc., “ANOTHER MILL HAND.”